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A's Path to the Postseason: Sept. 22, 2012

A's Path to the Postseason: Sept. 22, 2012

9/21/12: The Athletics lose 2-1 on a walk-off home run given up by Sean Doolittle in the bottom of the 10th inning

By Steven Miller
/
MLB.com |

NEW YORK -- The A's fell to the second American League Wild Card spot on Friday night, when they lost to the Yankees, 2-1, in 10 innings and the Orioles won in Boston.

But they remain 3 1/2 games ahead of the Angels for a Wild Card spot and still control their own destiny with hopes of competing for the AL West crown.

Nine of Oakland's final 12 games come against playoff hopefuls, and seven of them are against division-leading Texas. The Rangers' lead on the A's remained at four games, following Texas' loss in Seattle.

Magic numbers
To calculate a team's magic number, take the number of games it has remaining and add one. Then subtract the difference in the number of losses between that team and its closest pursuer.

Tiebreaker scenarios
A tiebreaker game will be played to determine a division winner, even if the tied clubs are assured of participating in the postseason. If a division championship tiebreaker is necessary, the head-to-head record between the clubs will determine home-field advantage. If the head-to-head record is tied, then the division record will be the next tiebreaker.

If two clubs are tied for the two Wild Card berths, home-field advantage will be determined by the head-to-head record between the clubs. If the head-to-head record is tied, then the division record will be the next tiebreaker.